Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday said Pakistan may suffer a $4 billion loss in drop of its exports because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Addressing Britain-based Pakistani community through a video link, the foreign minister said Pakistan's economy was improving and the country's exports had increased by 40 percent compared to last year.
"The rest of the economic indicators were also improving, but then we had to face the same situations as the rest of the world is facing today because of the coronavirus pandemic," he said, adding it was feared that Pakistan may face $4 billion loss due to the decline in its exports.
He added the government was moving forward with economic diplomacy and focusing on the sectors of construction, agriculture, and information technology so that to mitigate the losses to the economy.
Referring to the problems being faced to the overseas Pakistanis and those stranded in different countries due to the suspension of the flight operations, he said the government was making every effort to bring back the stranded Pakistani nationals as soon as possible.
He said that so far 10,000 Pakistanis had been brought back from different countries through special flights. About 2,285 Pakistanis have been brought back from Britain through 14 flights, he added. "The government is making efforts to ensure safe and regulated return of stranded Pakistanis abroad," he added.
The foreign minister said the government was cognizant of the problems of the stranded Pakistanis and the country's missions abroad had been directed to fully look after them.
Apart from the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), he added the government was trying to avail the services of other airlines to accelerate the process of the return of the stranded Pakistanis.
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